Store-front construction.



S. C.'MAcDOWNEY.

STORE FRONT CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED FEB-12.1914.

1 ,2U2.,5 5U Patented Oct. 24, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

. S. C. MAcDOWNEY. STORE FRONT CONSTRUCTION APPLICATION mm FEB. 12, 1914.

1 ,QUQfifiU. Patented (m. 24, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- SILAS C. MAQIDOVVNEY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

STORE-FRONT CONSTRUCTION.

ieoaaao.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented @ct. 24:, 1916.

Application filed February 12, 1914. Serial No. 818,228.

To all whom it may concern i Be it known that I, Sims 0. MAcDowNEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and use ful Improvements in Store-Front Construction, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to building construction in general and particularly to the mounting of plate glass windows in store fronts, and has in View as its principal objects the holding of the glass securely, and also the provision of means for regulating ventilation to prevent the accumulation of condensed moisture upon the glass and for carrying away such moisture and removing accumulated dust from within the ventilating passages.

Other advantageous and novel features of the construction will be made apparent as the description proceeds.

In order that the invention may be readily understood preferred and modified embodiments of the same are set forth in the accompanying drawings and in the description based thereon. Obviously, however, the invention is susceptible of embodiment in other and varied constructional forms and the drawing and description are to be construed in an illustrative and not in an unnecessarily limiting sense.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a store front construction showing the application of the invention thereto; Fig. 2 is a front elevation of Fig. 1 with the facing and retaining strip removed; Fig. 3 is a vertical section through one of the glass supporting blocks or chairs; Fig. 4 is a similar section taken on a line between two of the chairs; Fig. 5 is a section similar to Fig. 3 through a slightly modified formof construction; Fig. 6 is a front elevation of Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a section similar to Figs. 3 and 5 illustrating a further modification; and Fig. 8 is a vertical longitudinal section on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

In the embodiments illustrated the reference numeral 11 designates the ordinary window sill and 12 the inner stop or front edge of the flooring adjacent the window. The sill and stop are covered by a protective apron 13 of suitable non-corrosive metal such as copper, whereby the sill and stop if of wood are protected from deterioration which would speedily result if moisture were allowed access thereto.

At intervals along the window sill and also along thesides and top of the window frame, which in this connection are the equivalents of the sill, are arranged a series of glass supporting blocks or chairs 14:, which, as applied tothe sill, have a substantially horizontal portion 15 forming a seat for the edge of the glass and a substantially vertical back portion 16 against which the glass bears laterally. The chairs 14: are provided with a horizontal aperture for the reception of screws 17 by means of which they are firmly secured to the stop 12 against which the back of the chair abuts.

The chairs having been arranged at intervals around the window opening, as above described, the glass plate is placed in position with its edges bearing against the seats of the chairs and its sides adjacent the edges bearing laterally against the chair backs, as clearly shown in Fig. 1, for example. A facing or retaining strip 18 is then placed exterior to the glass around the margin thereof, which strip has a portion 19 which fits snugly upon the chairs 1 1 and also marginal flanges 20 and 21, the former of which bears against the outer face of the glass in opposition to the chair back 16, while the flange 21 occupies a vertical position covering the outer edges of the chairs and abutting against the apron 13 upon the sill 11, as

clearly shown in the drawing. This facing or retaining strip is firmly secured to the chairs by means of screws 22.

It will be observed that the spaced relation of the chairs 14 provides for passages therebetween and beneath the edge of the glass. The flange 21 of the facing strip 18 is also notched at intervals, as indicated at 28, so as to provide access from without to the said passages, whereby air is permitted, for purposes of ventilation, to pass through the notches 23 to the passages and thence upward on the inner side of the glass between the chair backs. Thus the circulation of air maintains a substantially uniform temperature upon both sides of the, glass and minimizes thetendency of moisture to con.- dense upon the inner face of the glass.

It is desirable under changing atmospheric conditions to control the ventilation of the window space so as to exclude the dust on windy days and reduce the amount of air in} terchange in excessively cold weather.. It has" been usual'in constructions of this generalcharacter to provide a sliding register member for the outer entrance to theair passages, but'this arrangement is inconvenient andh as'many other disadvantages. Accordingtothe' present invention I arrange for the control, of the ventilation by mounting upon the stop 12 a cap or cover plate 24 which overlies the innerpo'rtions of the passages and abutswith its edge against the inner face of the glass'so as 'to effectually exclude the entrance of air or dust when in a closedposition." At the sides and top'of the window this plate maybe permanently fifxedin a closed position, but at the bottom (if-the window, as illustrated, the plate is made'readily adjustable byhinging the same to the'inner edge of the apron 13where it overliesthe stop '12,] As shown'in Figs. 1 to; 43 inclusive, thehinge comprises a series of-staple members 25 which pass through the inner edge of the cover plate. Provision is made for'locking'the plate in any adjusted position by means ofa latch 26-having an enlarged head'27 which engages within a slot 28ofthe cover plate 24. The opposite end of the latch 26 being pivoted at 29 to a link 30 which in turn is pivoted at 31 to a standard 32. Upon the pivot 29 is mounted a knurled head 33,by means of Which the pivot joint at 29 may be tightened so as to lock the members 26 and BO-together, whereby'the plate 2 1 will be held in adjusted position. i

In Fig. 5 a modification of the cover plate mounting is shown in which form of constructionthe inner edge of the apron 13 is provided with a bead 3 1 and the edge ofthe cover plate 2a is likewise provided with a bead which embraces the bead 34 snugly,

the two forminga hinge joint and the frictional engagement between the two being de pended upon to hold the plate 2 1 in adjusted position.

InFig. 7 a further modification of a cover plate mounting is shown, the apron having a marginal bead 36enveloped bya marginal bead 37 formedon the cover plate'24 to constitute a hinge connection. In this case the engagement between the two beads is less snug than in the former instance and permitsf'the plate to fall' to a closed position by gravity when released bythemanipulating cord 38 which may extend over a pulley or the like to a suitable point for manipulation. It will be noted that the upward opening movement of the plate 2 1 is limited. by: the engagement of the outer edge of the bead 37 with the shoulder formed by the head 36 of the apron 13, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 7.

It will be observed that in all forms of construction shown unobstructed ventilation may be provided beneath the glass and yet such ventilation is readily controllable from within. The invention also provides for the escape of any moisture which condenses upon the inner face of the glass, the

.samebeing permitted when the cover plate is open to run down into the passage between the chairs and thence out over the apron and through the apertures 23, the said apron protecting the wooden sill from such moisture. When the cover plate is elevated so as to leave the ventilating passages entirely unobstructed the said passages may be flushed bymeans of a hose, or accumulated dust removed by means of a suitable suction device. 2

I claim:

1. In a store-front construction or the like, the. combination of a window-sill and inner-stop, a sheet-metal apron covering said sill and. the upright face and a portion of the top surface of said stop, one or more chair members resting on that portion of said apron "upon the sill and bearing against the stop, each. of said chairs including a seat and a back adapted to accommodate, the lower edge of a glass-plate with the plate bearing laterally on the chair back, providing a. passage beneath the edge of the glass, an outer retaining strip adapted to bear against the glass and overlying and secured. to the chair or chairs, said strip being constructed not toclose said passage beneath the glass, and a cover-strip hinged to that portion of the apron over the stop overlying the chair back or backs and adapted to controlithe passage beneath the glass, substantially v as described.

2. In a store-frontconstruction or the like, the combination of a window-sill and innerstop, a sheet-metal apron covering said sill and'the upright face and a portion of the top surface of the. stop, one or more chair members resting on that portion of said apron upon the sill and bearing against the stop, each of said; chair members including a. seat and a back adapted to accommodate thelower edge of a glass-plate with the plate bearing laterally on the chair back, providinga. passage beneath the edge of the glass, an outer retaining strip adapted to bear against theglass and overlying and secured 'to theqchair, or chairs, said strip being constructed not to close said passage beneath the edge of the glass, a cover-strip hinged to signed my name in the presence of two subthat portion of the apron over the stop overscribing Witnesses. lying the chair back or backs and adapted to control the passage beneath the glass, and SILAS MACDOWNEY' 5 means to look said cover-plate in adjusted Witnesses:

positions, substantially as described. FRANKLIN M. WARDEN, In testimony whereof I have hereunto WALTER M. FULLER.

Gopiea of this potent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). G. 

